My Only One
by itsfinnick
Summary: The story of how to young kids met, became friends, fell in love and fought battles unimaginable to stay together. This is my story of Finnick and Annie. Annie's POV
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 01**

The sun was beating down hard today; but that was no hindrance to the hardworking citizens of district 4. Beads of sweat trickled down tanned backs, huffs and puffs of breath in the distance, the result of the men working hard, hauling in their latest catch onto their boats. Like usual, the men were out fishing, teaching their sons the art of throwing tridents to catch fish, while the women taught their daughters to make fishnets. Every day was like this. The district awoke in the early hours of the day, all the better to catch the early streams of fish rushing through the chilled waters. There was a goal to reach, a certain amount of kilos of fish to be delivered to the Capitol by late afternoon. But there was one girl who was not with her mother, tying knots, her long brown hair flowing in the wind as she ran across the beach, giggling at the sensation of freedom. Today was simply one of those days she didn't feel like working, much to her mother's distress. But she looked all too happy, her grin wide on her face, and her mother didn't want to take that away. Not today. Not on her birthday.

She ran past several fishing boats, her laughter so loud and gleeful, surely she would be disturbing the fish, scaring them off, with how loud she was being. Several of the fishermen stopped their work, ready to scold whoever was making such a fuss, but seeing the young brunette, the sand rustling around her feet as she ran, they simply smiled and got back to work. Today was her day, her day to feel free, happy and carefree. It had been all too long since she had been laughing like this, with her having school and then work. And her work was something she was excellent at. Every fisher family in the district would request the nets she had tied, knowing that no fish would be able to escape. They even paid extra, even if that meant she would have to sit for four full days, making a new one. And the demand was massive. But not today. Today she was allowed to sprint though the sand, allowed to be the eleven year old she was. And she was celebrating in the best way she knew. By being a young girl.

Her feet couldn't have been moving faster as she sprinted through the sand, and with her eyes closed it was no wonder she ran smack into somebody, two bodies falling into the hot sand.  
"Ouch," she exclaimed angrily, taking a moment to get a feeling of her surroundings, realising she was lying with her legs draped across the back of a boy. He groaned in annoyance, pushing himself up, resulting in her tumbling around herself.  
"You could watch where you're running, you know," he told her, as she fumbled up to her feet. It wasn't until then she realised who she had run into. It was none other than Finnick Odair. He was all but two years older than her. She had seen him around school, and his family were avid buyers of her nets.  
"I could. But I wasn't, was I?" she retorted, brushing the sand off her white dress, glaring at him. He didn't seem phased by her comment at all, as he was smiling at her. And she couldn't understand why. Had she said anything funny? Was she amusing him? The smile was teasing, she knew as much. The brunette folded her arms in front of her chest, staring him down. And to her annoyance, he even had the guts to laugh.  
"What's so funny?" she demanded, stomping her foot in the sand. Finnick's smile took a turn to something more than teasing. Taunting would be a better word for it.  
"What?" she demanded once more, getting ready to turn on her heel and simply walk away. Yes, she had heard of Finnick Odair, and his way with other kids. He was a charmer, someone everyone seemed to like. All but her, though, as he wasn't exactly making the best impression on her, laughing her in the face. In fact, she got so annoyed; she was just about ready to just leave, when Finnick walked towards her, his one hand reaching out to her head.  
"Just stand still," he told her, and the brunette froze. What was he going to do? His fingers tugged a little at her hair, and when he withdrew his hand, he held a piece of seaweed in his fingers. "You know, you looked awfully cute with that in your hair, but you're cuter now," he told her. And she couldn't help the blush that reached her cheeks, feeling her skin heat up at his compliment. And there he was, the charming Finnick Odair that every girl in district 4 was hoping to have a chance to talk to. But she wasn't all that interested, not really.

"This is where you thank me for taking this out of your hair," Finnick said, throwing the seaweed into the sand, and she just stared at him, eyes wide, the green reflecting the ocean like a mirror.  
"No," she replied, brushing the remaining sand off her dress, and turned on her heel to leave for her favourite spot on the beach. And she didn't even turn to see if he had followed until she reached her destination, the shadow from a tree shielding her from the sun. This was her go to place whenever she felt like being alone, whenever her fingers were too ruffed up from tying knots all day. The water was, for some reason, cooler here than in the rest of the ocean, and it worked as medicine for her rough fingers. Just as she had sat down, she felt the trunk of the tree move, and Finnick was leaning against it.

"Why aren't you working? You're the girl who makes the good nets, aren't you?" he asked, and she didn't even look at him. He was in her spot. Her very favourite spot. And no one had ever been there with her before. Of course, she hadn't tried hiding where she was going, but he didn't have to follow her. Finnick was just getting on her nerves.  
"Because it's a special day," she replied shortly, keeping her green gaze at the waves far out in the ocean. She couldn't help but wonder if they would reach their goal today. The sun was burning, which was why she had gone to her shaded location, hiding from its strong beams. The ocean was quiet, silent even, which might make it easier to catch the fish. Finnick didn't even ask as he took a seat beside her.  
"Why is it a special day?" he asked her, and she shook her head.  
"That's none of your business."  
"Come on," he coaxed her, and she turned to glare at him. How could he charm anyone? He was probably the most annoying boy she had ever met. Not that she was friends with an awful lot of people. Mostly, she kept to herself, doing her homework, doing well in school, and when she got home, she was immediately set to work on her nets.  
"It's my birthday," she told him, her voice softening a little. No matter how annoying he was, she couldn't let him ruin her day. Not her birthday.  
"Well then, we should celebrate," he said, getting up to his feet, and without asking, dragged her up to her feet along with him, pulling her towards the ocean.

"No, no, I can't," she whimpered, panic setting in. It had been years and years since she had been in the ocean, if not to dip her toe in the cold water, but she didn't know how to swim, and frankly, she had been scared off from ever trying it again. The water terrified her. Finnick stopped dead in his tracks, looking back at the brunette with worried eyes.  
"What's wrong?"  
"I can't go in the water. I just can't," she replied quickly, pulling her hand back from him, and he let her. Still, his expression was one of worry, and he stepped towards her, his bronze hair shimmering in the sunlight.  
"I just can't. Not since…" She drifted off, shaking her head in denial. Today was not the day to face her fears; today was not the right day.  
"I can't. Because the last time I was in the ocean, I almost drowned," she muttered under her breath, shaking her head quickly. No one, unless they had been through the same, would ever understand her fear of water.  
"Okay, here's the deal. We go out, just to our knees, and we stay there. There's nothing to worry about. And I'll be there to look after you," Finnick said, giving her a kind smile. It was unlike any smile she had ever seen. Maybe that was the reason so many people adored him. His kind smile. And she couldn't help but nod in agreement, and once more she took his hand, allowing for him to lead her out into the cold blue.

"You're okay," he promised, leading her out until the water reached her knees, soaking the bottom of her dress, but she didn't care. The water felt absolutely wonderful on her skin, taking away some of the heat the sun was bringing.  
"I am," she agreed, the smallest of giggles leaving her lips, but still she clung onto his hand, afraid that she would fall under if she let go. Her fears were irrational, she knew that, but it wasn't something she was quite ready to beat just yet.  
"What happened? When you almost drowned?" he asked, and she couldn't meet his intense gaze. Her own gaze was fixed at the water around her legs, trying to get accustomed to the feeling.  
"My dad wanted to teach me how to fish," she began, not meeting his gaze. "And I fell out of the boat, and got stuck underneath it. I couldn't breathe, and I couldn't get back up. I haven't been in the water since," she continued, her voice barely above a whisper. They were painful memories, not being able to breathe, her lungs screaming for air, feeling the certainty that this was her last living moment. What brought her back from her thoughts was the squeeze of her hand, and finally he looked back up at him, seeing his kind smile once more.  
"You're okay. I'm not gonna let anything hurt you," Finnick whispered, and just like that, she decided that she liked him. He was a good boy, a kind boy. And then he led her back out of the water, only for her to realise that it was getting late.

"I have to go," she announced, letting go of his hand once they reached the sand. "It's time for dinner."  
"How can you tell?" Finnick asked curiously, his eyebrows knitting together. And she laughed, and pointed to the sun.  
"It's position," she told him, and gave him a light wave as she ran back towards her house.  
"Hey wait, what's your name?" he called after her, and she turned to look over her shoulder, her hair cascading around her face.

"It's Annie. Annie Cresta."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 02**

"Hey, Annie."  
At the sounds of his voice, Annie couldn't keep the grin off her face, and turned to look up at the boy who had so quickly become her one, true friend. He had grown taller since the first day they met, by quite a lot actually, and he looked more mature. Of course, that was to be expected, as they had known each other for more than a year already. And that year had gone by so fast it was beyond comprehension. Every day since meeting, Finnick had come to her favourite spot, shielded from the sun by a big, old tree by the beach. He'd found her there, humming to herself as her well-trained fingers tied knots to the point of perfection, creating one of her fine nets. This one would sell for a lot, she could tell already. The precision in each and every knot was astounding, and once Finnick saw, he'd stared at her in disbelief.  
"How do you do that?" he'd asked, much to Annie's amusement.  
"What? All I do is tie some knots," she had replied nonchalantly, shrugging her small shoulders. This was something she had learned from her mother, but her small, yet firm fingers made her nets all the better. Much to her family's approval. Ever since she started making nets, her family hadn't been having the same problems with money as they did before. In many ways, Annie had been their solution to starvation.  
"Clearly you're doing more than that," Finnick had told her, frowning before taking a seat beside her in the sand. "Teach me?" Annie had giggled then. Was there really something she could teach the famous and talented Finnick Odair?  
"Sure. Just look at what I do." And from that moment, the two young kids had spent just about every single day together, her teaching him how to tie knots, how to make nets, and he had tried, several times, to convince her to join him for a swim. But each and every time she turned him down, saying that today was not the day.

"I made some progress on my net. I just… I feel like I should be finishing it," Finnick said as he slumped down beside her in the sand. His hair seemed all the more bronze coloured in the sunlight, especially after spending months and months out on the open waters with his father, helping with the fishing. Annie had still seen him every day though, if not in person, they had waved at each other from a distance. Because when he was out in the boat, she would be perched under her tree, tying her nets, and they would greet, the cold blue the only thing keeping them apart. And keeping the two of them apart was a challenge in and of itself. Because after meeting that day, they had found, in each other, a best friend. Someone they could learn from, someone they could talk to and someone they could both be themselves with. And for the past two years they had been pretty much inseparable.  
"You've been working on it for almost two years though, Finn. Sure you can finish it?" she asked, almost teasing him, but her heart wasn't in it. Not today. And from the look on his face, she couldn't keep up her façade. "You're worried about the reaping." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. And all Finnick did was nod.  
"How many times has your name been in there, Annie?" he asked. But she couldn't be sure. She'd taken some tesserae, but not enough for her to have her name in there an awful lot.  
"I think it's three? But I'm not worried about me; I'm worried about you. How many times has your name been in there, Finn? Eight?" Again, Finnick nodded. There was a slim chance of either of them being reaped, but the horrid truth was; they still might be. It was all by chance.

The two young kids sat in silence for a while, until Finnick untangled his mess of a net and started tying knots. But from the way his fingers were moving, Annie could tell his heart wasn't in it. She let him tie a few knots, before giving up her own work, putting her hands over his, making him release the tangle of thread.  
"Don't worry, Finn. There's plenty of other kids with their names in there more times than you," she whispered softly, and for the first time that morning, his gaze lifted to meet hers, his usually sea green eyes veiled with worry.  
"It's not me I'm worried about. You can't be reaped, Annie," he whispered, his voice pained and weak. And Annie didn't know how to even respond to that. She had never heard him like this before, or seen him like this.  
"If I'm reaped… I'll have to go. You know this. But the odds are in our favour this year, Finn. I think we're both safe." As the words left her mouth, she weren't sure if they were true at all. There was always a chance of them being reaped, but maybe, just maybe, these lies would help comfort him. "The Careers, Finn, they'll probably volunteer anyway." Probably, but it was not at all a certainty.

"We should go." They had been spending the last hour in silence, their nets on their laps, hands clasped together while staring out into the blue waters. No words could calm either of them down, so instead, being together, supporting each other in silence had been their way of coping. It was with a sigh Annie got up to her feet and dragged Finnick up along with her. "Leave the nets. My mum will come fetch them after the reaping," she told him, pulling him along with her, their feet dragging through the heated sand. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest, thudding hard against her ribs as they walked. A crowd had already gathered in the great square, peacekeepers with their white uniforms standing on guard at every turn. As they reached the square, Finnick stopped dead in his tracks, bringing Annie to a stop with him.  
"No matter what happens, we see each other again, okay? No matter what," he whispered, and Annie nodded, taking both his hands firmly in her own.  
"No matter what," she agreed, her smile half hearted. And that was when they released each other's hands, and walked to their respective groups in front of the great stage.

The crowd was eerily quiet as the as the escort came onto the stage, shortly followed by the mayor of district 4 and some other Capitol officials. Annie never cared enough to remember their faces, nor their names. The girl next to her, shorter than herself, blonde, was crying silently, no doubt scared that she might be reaped. But among the girls surrounding her, Annie felt oddly at ease. This wasn't her year. It couldn't be. She was only twelve years old, after all. It was Finnick she was worried for. His name was in there a lot more times than her, and that at the nimble age of fourteen. The anthem started playing, a tune Annie had grown to hate over the years, and she kept her eyes closed, ignoring every rule about needing to watch the footage from district 13. Surely she wasn't the only one ignoring it, and instinctively she turned her head, finding Finnick looking right at her. And knowing that he thought the same about it as her, she couldn't help but smile, but Finnick shook his head, as if telling her to save it for later. Speeches were made, the anthem played once more, and suddenly her heart clenched in her chest, making it hard to breathe. It was time.

"We'll start off with the girls, shall we?" the man droned up, his voice as dull as ever. Not even the distinct Capitol accent could ever save him from sounding like the dullest person alive. Again, Annie caught Finnick's gaze, her eyes wide with fear. Maybe she would be chosen? If so, her chances of surviving were next to nothing. A twelve year old girl, skinny, fragile, weak. What chance did she stand in something as gruesome as the games? Annie knew the answer before she even asked herself the question. None. Her chances were non-existent. The escort put his hand in the bowl, scrambled around the many pieces of paper, and pulled one out, a victorious grin on his face, which only made him look contorted and odd. His facial tattoos did nothing to improve the image. He moved back to the microphone, clearing his throat, and called out a name. The name was not Annie Cresta. Annie didn't even have a chance of sighing in relief, because the blonde girl next to her started sobbing uncontrollably, shaking and shuddering. It was her. Without knowing what hit her, Annie enveloped the shorter girl in her arms, hugging her tight to her chest.  
"Be strong. You can do this, be strong," she whispered, releasing the girl, who had stopped sobbing. And as she nodded, her blonde hair moving around her face in the action, she mouthed a 'thank you', before slowly making her way onto the stage. She looked all too young, all to little to be on that stage, and Annie half expected someone to call out, take her place, but nothing but silence followed. This girl, just turned twelve, would most likely never make it back to district 4.

The escorts voice didn't even register in her mind, before Annie realised he had moved on, to the bowl, where Finnick's name would be scribbled on eight pieces of paper. And the waiting was excruciating. His hand seemed to be fumbling around for minutes, before taking out a single note, moving slowly back to the centre of the stage. Again, he cleared his throat, a sickening sound, and opened the note.  
"Finnick Odair!"  
The world seemed to have stopped moving, everything slowing down, only for Annie to hear her own thudding heartbeat, the blood rushing through her body. And instantly her eyes found his, veiled with worry, making her usually green gaze surprisingly grey. Finnick shook his head, as if foreseeing what her next move would be. But what she did next was something that even took her by surprise. She sprinted forward, pushing through the crowd, towards him.  
"No," she muttered under her breath. Annie couldn't even recognise her own voice as she came closer to him, hands clasping around his. "No," she repeated.  
"Annie, go, you'll get in trouble, go," he said quickly, attempting to push her away, but to no use. "You have to go. Come see me in the justice building, I have to go," he told her, one final push making her lose her grip around his wrists, and she stood there, frozen, right in front of the stage as she watched her best friend, her only friend, walk up to the stage. No one volunteered. No one offered to take his place, like she thought they would.

The second the two tributes were escorted off the stage, and into the justice building, Annie found herself running, fast, to where she knew family and friends would be able to say their final goodbyes to their children, their brother or sister, or their friend.  
"You have to wait, miss," a peacekeeper told her, but she ignored him, pushing past several guards as she sped towards where she knew Finnick was sitting, probably with his family. Another peacekeeper lifted her up from her feet, stopping her completely. "You have to wait. You'll see him in a few minutes."  
"How long do I get?" The words were out of her mouth before she realised she had been thinking them. How long would she get to see her best friend before he was shipped off to the Capitol, to the very people that would be the death of him? The peacekeeper spoke, but the words didn't register in her mind. How did one say goodbye to someone you have held so close to your heart, someone you have grown to care for? How did one say goodbye to your only friend?

The peacekeeper held the door open for her, and Annie stepped in through the door, seeing Finnick perched at the edge of a table, hands shaking, eyes glistening from the tears provided for his family.  
"Finnick." Her voice was soft as she made her way over to him. And for the first time since meeting, for the first time since becoming best friends, he opened his arms and pulled her in for a tight hug, his fingers curling themselves into the fabric of her dress. And he held on, as if his life depended on it. That was when she realised that it probably was. Her own arms wound around him, hugging him close, holding him in silence as she felt her shoulder getting wet from his tears.  
"You come back, Finn. You hear me? You come back to 4, you come back and finish your net," she told him, firmly, her fingers entangling in his bronze locks. When he didn't respond, Annie pulled back, taking his face in her hands, her thumb brushing away a stray tear.  
"Do you hear me, Finnick? You come back and finish your net. You come back and keep the promises you've made. Come back, and you teach me how to swim, you teach me how to skip stones, teach me to fish. You come back, you keep your promises." Unlike her best friend, she wasn't crying, her eyes grey with worry for him, but she remained strong. The last thing he needed was her crying because of the loss of her best friend.  
"Finnick?" she demanded, needing an answer.  
"Yes, I'll come back."  
"Yes, you will. Keep the promises you've made. And I'll keep mine. Come back, okay, just come back." Finnick stared at her, his eyes glassy with tears, his cheeks stained pink with heat. "Promise me, Finn. Promise me you'll come back." Without any warning, the door burst open, two peacekeepers entering to escort Annie back outside, to a life without her best friend, and she flung her arms around Finnick once more. "Promise me."  
"I promise, Annie, I promise I'll come back."

It was a promise Annie was expecting him to be keeping.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 03

Annie hadn't realised it until then, how very much Finnick meant to her, not until there was a chance of him never coming back. Her heart was always racing in her chest, knowing that in just a few days, he could be gone forever. Taken from this world. His laughter would never be heard again, and he would never make fun of her again. In a short few days, there could possibly be no more Finnick Odair in this world. And the more Annie thought about it, she realised that wasn't a world she wanted to live in. Because a world without Finnick was a world of loneliness a world filled with sorrow. It was a world where Annie didn't have her best friend, the one person who brought out the very best in her.

In the beginning, Annie was glued to the TV, desperate for any sign of Finnick, giving her the reassurance that he was still alive. Only when going to school were her eyes not transfixed to the wooden box in her family's living room. At the first ring, signalling that school was out for the day, Annie sprinted back to her house, only to sit there, eyes glued to the screen, all the while keeping her fingers busy. And in the first few days, she had already finished two nets, and was working a third. One night, the night of the parade, it was the first night she put down her hands, giving them rest, her fingertips sore from working on the rough threads. Because there he was, more beautiful than ever before, his bronze hair seemingly gold in the lights reflecting in his golden locks. And he was dressed, mainly, in a fish net, which would never have caught a single fish, ever, due to its many holes. Yes, he was beautiful, but to Annie, this was all wrong. It wasn't Finnick. The Capitol was turning him into something he wasn't. And the worst part? Finnick seemed to be enjoying the attention. That night, Annie turned off the TV and went to sit by her tree until the moon had risen high up in the sky.

The remaining days until the games started, Annie wasn't watching, even if viewing was mandatory. Because she couldn't handle the fake façade Finnick had created of himself. Of course, it was all for his own benefit, and the crowd was eating it up. They loved him. It was all part of his play to get him sponsors, and he was succeeding. But Annie couldn't watch. She couldn't watch without it ruining the memory of her best friend. So instead her father would come in to her room at bedtime, and tell her how he was.  
"Annie?"  
"I'm awake," she had replied that first night.  
"The scores came out today. Don't you want to know how he did?" her father had asked. Did she want to know? Of course she did. And so she had turned around in her bed, looked her father straight in the eye, and awaited horrible news.  
"He got a 10, Annie." Those were words she hadn't expected, but words she was grateful to hear. That night was the first night in a very long time that she slept, and instead of nightmares, she dreamt of Finnick waving at the crowd, wearing one the nets she had made, instead of the one fashioned in the Capitol.

Mandatory viewing. All the kids had even been given the day off from school, all to ensure that every single person was sat in front of their screens at home, or in the square, all for everyone to watch the start of the games. The bloodbath. Annie had begged and begged her mother to be let out, to escape to her tree on the beach, only to be commanded to stay inside and watch. If she were caught outside, ignoring Capitol orders, there was no telling what might happen to her. Punishment, sure, but what kind? No one could possibly know. So Annie stayed and watched. She watched the tributes rise up from the ground, their bewildered expressions as they tried taking in their surroundings. There was plenty of water, to Finnick's benefit, and also woods. Annie felt her stomach churning uncomfortably as the sixty seconds counted down, seeing close up of her best friend's face as he scanned the area around the Cornucopia. She could see the trident, just as Finnick caught sight of it as well, a determination crossing his tanned features.  
"No," Annie muttered to herself. "Don't be stupid, Finn, run." It never ended well for those running in there, she had seen kids die every year. A loud ring filled the arena and chaos erupted immediately. Kids running, screaming, but Annie focused solely on Finnick as he ran towards the trident. But what he didn't see, while Annie saw it clearly, was the male tribute from district 1, headed straight towards him, sword held high. It all happened to fast, Finnick reaching his trident, spinning around just in time for the three spikes on his trident to impale the other boy, blood bursting out of his mouth, splattering all over Finnick's face. And Annie heaved, the vomit sprayed across the floor as black darkness overwhelmed her. Her best friend had just made his first kill in the arena.

From that day on, Annie refused to watch the games. Not only because of its brutality and cruelty, but also because she couldn't stand watching Finnick, the sweet and funny boy she had grown to care for, kill anyone else. Or worse, be killed himself. That was something she would never be able to face, seeing the bright green of his eyes disappear. So every day, she hid by her tree, trying her nets until the sun went down, and when she came home, she crawled into bed, staring at a dark spot in her wooden ceiling, Finnick's net in her hands as she waited for her father. At midnight he would open the door, just wide enough for her to see his face. And he would nod, signalling that Finnick had made it through another day. But every night as the door creaked open, she was dreading that this night, her father would shake his head instead. Those thoughts haunted her nightmares. Her father coming in, slowly shaking his head. And every night she would wake up, drenched in her own sweat, only to realise that it was all her own mind playing tricks on her. Finnick was still alive. And he was fighting. He was fighting for a promise made. His promise to come back home. His promise to come back to district 4, back home to Annie.

"Annie, come in. Quick." It was Annie's mother calling for her, and Annie couldn't quite place her tone. So she pulled herself to her feet, shuffling slowly through the chilled afternoon sand. "Annie, I said quick," her mother scolded her, and Annie rolled her eyes as she ran back to the house. The TV was on, of course, and the anthem was playing. Weird, it wasn't midnight yet. Her green gaze stayed fixed on the bright screen, her mind attempting to process what was going on. Finnick was standing along, his trident dripping with blood, a look of utter relief on his face. He looked weary, so unlike the Finnick she had said goodbye to, so unlike her best friend. Even his eyes were different, the sea green colour replaced by a dark grey. And as she stood, transfixed on his face, realisation hit her like the blow of a mason to her gut. She didn't need the words coming from her parents, but she did need to utter the words out loud, to herself.

"Finn is coming home."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 04**

Finnick had won the games. Despite all that was against him, despite his poor odds, with him being one of the youngest of all the tributes, he had won. And he was coming home. Annie stared blankly at the screen, even if it had gone black several hours ago. Her father had tried rousing her out of her trance, but to no use. Really, Annie had gotten used to the idea that he would be gone forever; she would never be seeing him again. But he had won. The moment he had killed the final tribute standing in his way, he had been picked up by a big hovercraft, taken out of the arena. And now, he was somewhere in the Capitol, being poked and prodded and perfected to be shown in front of all Panem. The victor of the 65th Hunger Games. Annie found herself wondering when she would be seeing him again, how long it would take before he could come back home. Before he could come back home to her, and to district 4.

Time passed, although it passed all too slowly for Annie's liking. Yes, she saw Finnick on TV every day, being interviewed, being given his crown, being shoved around as the Capitol citizens put their greedy hands on him. But he didn't look like the boy she knew, not the Finnick she had ran into that day on the beach a year ago. He looked haunted, his green gaze veiled with a dark curtain. But his smiles, and how he spoke showed nothing of the nightmares Annie knew were haunting him in his sleep. To the Capitol, he was the perfect victor. Young, healthy, handsome and articulate. There was no surprise when he was announced one of the favourite victors of all time. Not when he was acting so chivalrous, so brave, and oh so charming. He had the citizens of the Capitol at his feet, offering to give him everything they owned just to talk to him. Even if everyone could see the young boy, only fourteen of age, being all happy when interviewed, Annie knew better. She could see that the things he had seen and done in the arena were haunting him, that he was struggling. Because she knew him, probably better than he knew himself, as he did with her. And now, she could tell from the latest interview, that he needed to be coming home. Home so that she could help him deal with his problems.

The day had finally come, and Annie was sat waiting outside Finnick's house, knowing that the train station would be filled with both reporters from the Capitol, and eager people from the district wanting to get a glance of their victor, the boy who had brought them so much pride this year. But from her seat on the stairs, she could see the train, and she knew, that if Finnick wanted to see her, he would easily find her sitting there. The train was late though, unlike the Capitol, and the wind was a chilly breeze in the late summer sun. Annie wrapped her arms around her legs, pulling them close to her chest as she sat, gaze glued to the train station where the train would soon roll in. And soon enough, the shiny metal worked its way through the trees, coming to a halt with a loud shriek from the tracks. And the crowd went crazy, screaming and yelling his name. Finally, he climbed out of the train, dark circles under his eyes hidden underneath a layer of make-up, his hair ruffled up and shinier than every before. No doubt a result from the Capitol treatment he had been given while there, while being interviewed. He waved and he smiled, greeting the people who had come to meet him, saying hello to his friends and acquaintances from school. His parents, both crying of happiness enveloped him in his arms, her mother sobbing into his shirt. If Annie had been closer, she would have heard her words, but instead she watched her lips forming word upon word, no doubt telling him of how proud she was, of how happy she was that he had come back. But Finnick seemed to be looking elsewhere, searching.

His gaze finally landed on her, and Annie simply nodded her head, her own green eyes glistening with tears. She could hardly believe he was back, could hardly wrap her head around the fact that he was still alive, even if she had seen him on the screen back home. But he was here, and he was alive. And knowing that he was overwhelmed Annie more than she would have ever thought. With her one hand, she brushed away a few stray tears trickling down her cheeks, and after that, she waved at him. Before Finnick was swept away by his parents, he waved back, a ghost of a smile on his face. Finnick had kept his promise after all.

Annie didn't see him the day he came home, or the day after that, or the day after that. And she couldn't understand why she hadn't seen him. She would go by his house every day, but his mother told her he didn't feel right having company, and to come back another day. Surely it wasn't something she had done, or said. Annie already knew what was wrong. Facing her would mean he was going to have to talk about the arena, and Finnick wasn't ready for that. Not yet. So when the fourth day came around, without having seen him, Annie found herself driving herself mad inside the house. So she grabbed hold of the net she was currently working on, and also Finnick's. She had been keeping it with her at all time, the only piece of him she had to hold on to. Knowing that this was the only thing she had of his had kept her sane while he had been the arena. Annie walked to her tree by the beach, stopping dead in her tracks as she saw him sitting there, fiddling with a piece of rope in his fingers. Her heart clenched, and she fought the urge to run over to him, enveloping him in her small arms, and instead she walked over and sat down beside him, gazing out at the deep green of the ocean.

"I brought your net," she said after minutes of silence, passing him the knotted rope, but he didn't take it. And so she put it down in the sand between his legs before resuming the silence, only the sound of the waves crashing in on over the rocks, the birds squeaking as they sped across the blue sky. His breathing was shallow, as if he was fighting the urge to cry, his fingers continuously making the same knot over and over again, his gaze fixed on something in the distance. Annie sighed, and took up her net, continuing her work in silence. Maybe he didn't need to talk, maybe he just wanted someone to be there for him, in silence. Annie could be that for him, just like he had been that person for her in the past.

Hours passed, and Annie was tying her final knot to her net, and once she finished she folded it neatly, placing it beside her in the sand, her arms moving to wrap around her legs.  
"You know, you don't have to talk about the arena. We can just talk about what we always talk about. And you said you would finish your net," Annie whispered, and for the first time in hours, Finnick turned to look at her. The grey dullness of his eyes took her by surprise, the green seemingly gone from his orbs. He only looked at her for about a minute, before turning back, taking the net up, and with shaking fingers he started tying knots, just as if they'd been tying knots the day before. He hadn't forgotten how to, even in his time away from home. At least he was doing something, instead of staring blankly out at the ocean. And Finnick worked on his net, while Annie searched the beach with her eyes, sitting in silence beside him. Being there for him. Just like a best friend should do.

Several days passed, and every single day, after school, Annie would go to the beach, finding Finnick sitting by the tree, carefully tying his knots. He had made progress in the few days, but it didn't seem like his heart was in it. But today, unlike the other days when Annie had gone to see him, she wasn't patient like she had been. She was angry now, pissed that he hadn't spoken a single word. Stomping over to the tree, she stopped in front of him, staring at him.  
"Finnick, I know you've been through hell, but are you just going to keep ignoring me like this?" she demanded, her hands placed firmly on her hips. Finnick didn't respond. In her desperation to get him to talk, she groaned in annoyance, turned on her heel and walked out into the water. A place she had never ventured without him.  
"Fine, I'll just take a swim then," she called over her shoulder, walking until the water reached her stomach. It was cold, colder than usual, and Annie couldn't swim. But she kept walking, slowly, the water steadily rising to her elbows, to her shoulders, and to her neck. Standing on her toes was her only means to keep above the surface, the waves splashing into her face.  
"Annie!" she heard him calling, and she smiled to herself. Finally, a reaction. Taking in a deep breath, she descended into darkness, the water enveloping her, and once again she heard him calling for her, his voice drowning in the water around her. It took him just a few seconds to reach her, hoisting her back up above the surface, where she gasped for air, coughing. It was a foolish thing to do, all to get his attention, but it had worked.  
"What are you thinking, Annie? You could've drowned," Finnick scolded her, pulling her with him to more shallow water, and once there he released her, glaring at her, some of the green spark in his eyes back.  
"I was fine, Finn, you're the one panicking," she said, shaking her head and pulling her brown tangles of hair out of her face. "About time you talked to me. Were you going to ignore me forever?" she asked.  
Finnick looked absolutely stunned by her trick to get him to speak, his eyes wide as he stared at her.  
"You did all that just to get me to talk to you?" he asked, his voice smaller than usual.  
"Yes, I did. And it worked." Finnick glared at her, and shook his head, moving past her to go back onto the beach, and Annie sighed in frustration.  
"Teach me, Finn."  
"Teach you what?" he replied shortly, not turning back to look at her.  
"Teach me how to swim." That had him stop dead in his tracks, and he turned slowly to face her, his eyes narrowed as he regarded her. Trying to figure out whether or not she was joking, no doubt.  
"After a year of refusing, you want to learn how to swim. Now?" Annie nodded, and let herself slide back down in the water, the surface tickling around her neck.  
"Teach me how to swim, Finn. I want you to teach me how to swim. Like you promised."

That broke the silence between them. The mention of a promise made, someone needing him once more. Annie needing him. And for the first time since he won the games, the smile on his face wasn't one fabricated to charm Capitol citizens, but the warm and kind smile belonging to Finnick Odair. The Finnick Odair Annie knew and cared for. Her best friend. With her demand for him to teach her to swim, she brought him out of his nightmare and back to real life. A life untainted by the deaths in the arena, and the people he had killed. This was his life, in district 4, happy, teasing and annoying Annie to no end about all the things he did better than her. This was his life, not the one he lived while in the Capitol.  
"Try not to drown, will you?" he chuckled, and Annie nodded eagerly as Finnick swam towards her.

"You wouldn't let me drown. Because you promised once that nothing bad would ever happen to me."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 05 **

"You're doing it, Annie. You're doing it!" It was a cry of joy, whooping and celebration, but Annie was far too preoccupied with what she was doing. Because what she was doing was something completely new, something foreign, something that made her heart race at double the speed in her chest. Her arms were sliding through the cold water, urging her forward with each take, her feet paddling fast. Annie was swimming for the first time in her life; she was swimming. And this time she didn't need Finnick's guiding hands to keep her afloat. This time she was doing it on her own, and it was a feeling unlike any other. Before, she had feared the water, scared of its vastness, frightened of how very small she felt in the oceans blue folds. But now, gliding through the water, Annie felt like she had found a new friend. The water wasn't her enemy, it never have been. In fact, she had never felt more at home than what she did right now, the cool water licking her skin. She was brought back from her thoughts by another round of whoops and cheers, and Annie turned around in the water, swimming back to where Finnick was standing, the water up to right below the pits of his arms.  
"I told you practice makes perfect," he laughed, and once Annie reached him, she splashes water at his face, his bronze hair the now familiar dark that it always was when they were swimming.

It had taken a while before Annie understood the basics of swimming. The movements of her arms and legs, of how she needed to use her entire body to be able to swim. And unlike Finnick, who had so very much patience, Annie had wanted to give up more times than she could count, but he wouldn't let her.  
"I know you can do this." Those had been his words. And Annie, being the sore loser that she was, had kept going. All to prove that she was good enough. It had taken them a few months, but finally she had got there.  
"Don't be too happy with yourself, Finn. I was the one doing the swimming after all," she told him as he wiped the water out of his eyes, his lips turning in that mischievous smile she had seen so many times on his handsome face.  
"But I taught you," he countered, and before Annie knew what was happening, he had lounged himself at her, his arms wrapping around her slim waist, and brought the both of them beneath the surface. Annie barely had the time to take a breath before they both plummeted into the cool waves. She wriggled herself out of his embrace, and shop up, breaking through the surface with a gasp, her dark tangles of hair sticking to her tanned skin.  
"Finn!" she cried as he rose up with her, laughing his heart out. "What about warning a girl first, huh?" All he did was laugh, his green eyes twinkling with amusement and glee. His laughter had changed over the past few months, as well as his voice. It was deeper now, and sometimes when he spoke, his voice would crack, hitting an exceptionally high note. Annie would always tease him when that happened, telling him that she sounded more like a boy than he did. Usually, he would shrug it off, but sometimes, sometimes he would imprison her in his arms and tickle her until she was screaming for him to stop. Finnick claimed that he did it because her laughter was adorable, but she would always counter, and say it was because he liked annoying her. Sometimes she wondered it bother were true.  
"You love it," he replied cheekily, shaking his head to get rid of the drops of water in his bronze locks, a few making their way to Annie's face, and as revenge she splashed some more water in his face, sending them both into a fit of laughter.

When Finnick came back from the games, it had taken forever, or at least it had felt like forever, before he was his old self. Except something was changed. It had taken Annie about two months before she had made him laugh. Not just a chuckle, but a real laugh. And she realised that the change had been for the better. Finnick had been forced to grow up in the arena, and he was far more mature now than he had ever been. Instead of spending his time trying to charm the girls in school, he had been working a lot more. Both with schoolwork, but also with his father. And also, he was making a net in two weeks; contrary to the three months he had spent before. Not only this, but he had spent far more time with Annie, teaching her how to fish, how to swim, and she had taught him everything she knew about net weaving. Together they made one hell of a team, much to the benefit of their parents. At first they had been worried that the two teenagers would forget about working, when in fact they were getting a lot more done. Once a week, the Cresta family would invite Finnick over for dinner, a rare commodity for Annie's family, but after Finnick came back, her family made far more money than they had before. Also, the Odairs would spoil Annie rotten, taking her to buy new clothes. Annie suspected Finnick was behind it though, although he would never admit to such a thing. She had asked, and all he did was shrug his shoulder and give her an innocent smile. Still, she tanked him every single time.

The two young made their way out of the ocean, soeaking wet, but both knowing that he warm rays of the sun would have them dry within minutes. Finnick bumped her shoulder with his own, just as Annie had taken the first step onto dry land.  
"So now you know how to swim, huh?" he said, a trace of pride in his voice. Yes, now Annie knew how to swim, and it was all thanks to him.  
"Are you proud of me, Finn? Because it sounds like you are," she teased him, knowing that any hint of something more than just friendship was something that bothered him. The other kids in school were constantly asking them both if there was something more between them, and Finnick had expressed his disliking for it.  
"What business is it to them, anyway?" he had asked angrily, gritting his teeth, but Annie had just laughed at him.  
"Why do you care so much? What, are you in love with me or something?" she had asked. The answer she had gotten was silence, before he had set off towards the water, telling her she would never catch up with him. Annie hadn't even tried.

"I might be proud," Finnick replied, leaving her stunned for a second. Usually he would argue her comment, but he didn't today. Annie was about to comment on it, maybe tease him a little for it, but another thought entered her mind instead.  
"Teach me how to skip stones. You've taught me how to swim already. Teach me, Finn." Finnick stopped in his tracks, and bent down, picking up a flat stone, throwing it up in the air and catching it again as if it was nothing.  
"You sure? You might end up making a complete fool of yourself," he said confidently, raising an eyebrow at her, challenging her. Finnick knew better than anyone that Annie could never say no to a challenge. Not since meeting him anyway.  
"When I make a fool of myself, you tell me I'm cute. I think I'm good," Annie said, quickly snatching the stone from him as it was in the air., her own grin as confident as his had been only seconds ago. Finnick laughed, the sound traveling through the air, penetrating her eardrums, and for the first time ever, the sound of it ran a shiver through her body. He really did have a beautiful laughter. To Annie, it sounded like music. The shock of her reaction left her paralysed, standing still, and it wasn't until Finnick walked past her and ruffled up her hair that she snapped back to reality.  
"Come on then. You know, for a girl claiming to be faster than me, you sure move slow," she tease her, and Annie stuck her tongue out childishly, and stomped past him to the place where sand met water.

About an hour had passed, and while Finnick made his rock bounce both seven and eight times, all Annie had managed was to make her rocks sink to the bottom. One loud 'plop' and it was gone.  
"Finn…"  
"No, I know you can do it, you just have to keep trying," he said, stopping her words completely, but Annie turned around to face him, her arms limp by her sides.  
"That's not what I was going to say," she began. "You're leaving for the victory tour in just a month, right?" Finnick nodded, his feature instantly hardening from even the slightest mention of the games. He hadn't talked about it yet, and Annie knew that he was going to have to face his nightmares soon enough. He had no other choice, as people were bound to be asking questions about what he experienced.  
"I don't want to talk about it," he said quietly, but Annie took a step closer, bringing her hand up to rest on his cheek. She felt him stiffen beneath her touch.  
"If you can't even tell me, Finn, how do you expect to talk about it during the tour? You and I tell each other everything. I'm not saying right now, or even today, I'm saying once day." Her voice was soft as velvet as she spoke, calm and collected, and she even managed a smile. Finnick's breathing seemed to hitch in his throat, and his green gaze fell from hers.  
"One day," he whispered.  
"One day," she said, echoing his words. They stayed still for a moment, before Annie let her hand drop, and she picked up another stone.

"You say I can do this, hmm?" she asked, grinning at him from over her shoulder, and it took him a little while before returning it. The two of them had always been mostly fun and games, but it was important that he knew she was there for him. He would have done the same for her, after all.  
"Mm, yeah. You can," he muttered, blinking several times, as if attempting to get her back in focus, as if he had been dazed. Annie rolled her eyes at him, and turned back to face the blue ocean. She swung her arm back, and with a flick of her wrist, the stone leapt out of her fingers and towards the deep blue. But instead of the familiar 'plop', the stone leaped over the waves. Once. Twice. Three times, before it sunk down into the blue waves. The shock Annie felt from having done it took her completely by surprise, and she yelped out in happiness, flinging her arms up in the air as she laughed.  
"I did it!" she squealed, turning around, her grin wide and bright on her face, and she saw that Finnick was grinning too. What happened next was something that took her completely by surprise.

It happened fast, but to Annie if felt like it had taken hours. She was squealing and laughing, having finally made a stone skip over the clear, blue ocean, and Finnick had been cheering along with her. In the next second, he had stepped towards her, wrapping his arms around her slim waist. And the next thing she felt were his lips pressed against hers in a gentle kiss. Annie had never been kissed before, nothing more than a peck on the cheek, but this, this was something completely different. And she Finnick kissed her, she was frozen, unable to move, all her focus set on the feeling of his lips moulding with hers. The kiss didn't last all that long, so when he stepped back from her, grinning at her, Annie stared at him with big, green eyes.  
"You know, I think I might be falling for you," he said matter of factly, running his fingers through his bronze locks. Annie couldn't even find the words to speak, and she certainly didn't know what it was she was supposed to be thinking about the situation. He just grinned though, and picked up another stone, handing it to her. "You're better than me at this. Go on, show me what you've got," he said, acting as if nothing had happened at all. Annie giggled breathlessly, and threw the rock with a splash into the waves.

"I guess the kids at school will have something real to talk about now," she laughed, and Finnick nodded.  
"Yeah. But who cares what they think, right?"


End file.
